Disney world - best time to take a small child?

[RachelGreensFlair]

DH and I used to visit Disney world regularly, but since starting TTC and having DD we haven’t been for 3 years now.

We have a few bits to save for over the next couple of years but are looking to start planning her first visit. She would be 4.5 at the time of the trip l and I’m not sure if she might be too young to get much from it.

I went for the first time at 5, and I ‘think’ I remember it (‘think’ because I’m not 100% sure if I actually remember it or because our family talk about the trip so much I have been conditioned to ‘remember’ it if that makes sense)

I’d ideally hold off until the May after when she would be 5.5 but we are trying to tie this trip in for our 10 year wedding anniversary (recreating our honeymoon for our anniversary) so are a bit tied to those dates (as celebrating our 11 year anniversary there doesn’t have quite the same vibe)

Is it worth scrapping our plan to recreate our honeymoon for our anniversary to get an extra year in so she could maybe enjoy it more? Or is 4.5 a good age?

Thanks in advance

Just amazed some can afford to go more than once!

Wait till they're tall enough and old enough to remember

The world is full of wonder in these years. Shed probably have the time of her life for your 15th anniversary!

We went to Disney* every other year from when I was 11 and my brother was 9 up until I was... 24? I think?

I remember so much from each trip but I do also just about remember going to EuroDisney when I was 6 ish and my brother was 4. Personally I think 4 is a bit too young. All my brother remembers is being violently sea sick on the ferry crossing which has given him a boat phobia for life 😅

*Chiefly Orlando but Los Angeles after my A Levels.

I was 8 going on 9 when I went (then didn't go again until my honeymoon!). I know what you mean about it being a bit less magical. Like at that age, I knew they were dressed up. But still, I enjoyed getting their autographs! Personally I'd say 5.5 is the ideal age of those options.

DS was 7 which felt about right. Able to go on most of the rides and cope with busy parks. He loved it at the time but doesn't actually remember as much of it as I expected even though we went again the following year.

If you're good at planning and budgeting you can go for the same as a European holiday.

I suppose kids are prone to remembering the bad over the good! I don’t remember much about our first trip properly but my brother who was younger only remembered being so embarrassed by all the princesses fawning over him at cinderellas royal table!

Might be why he is gay now - put him off women for life 😀

Several times a year? I think not! Disney is very, very expensive!

My DD is 4.5 and just not ready for it, she can’t be arsed with walking for a start. She’d be moaning after 10 mins. Plus she is scared of most rides still.

I first went at 9 and remember every bit and was wowed by it, so personally I’m all for waiting, we won’t go until 6+.

We have never yet managed to visit the US Disney parks, our experiences are based on other parks. Our first trip was to Hong Kong Disneyland, it was just a day visit and the kids were 4, about to turn 5, and 7.5. Everyone had lots fun, apart from it being crazy hot, but the youngest was too small for the best of the rides at that age. We didn't stay right to the end, but the youngest did last for about 11 hours with only a short break for lunch. I don't think they were wowed though (I do think this is more a reflection of being in Hong Kong) and the kids don't have strong memories of the visit given their ages. We then went to Disney in Paris for 2 days when they were just turned 8 and 10.5 respectively. Part of a bigger Paris trip. At that age they were big enough for all the rides, the youngest couldn't ride Indiana Jones but was tall enough for everything else. They still enjoyed watching the parades but we didn't queue for the meet and greet with any characters, they were more wowed by the Disney vibr, but they were definitely very much focused on the rides and they have some really good ones! That was 18 months ago and they still talk about Disney and riding crush's coaster and the tower of terror. We are going to see some of the Olympics this summer, the kids are now 9.5 and 12 and are keen to go back to Disney, so I think we will splash the cash on day tickets and just cram in their favourite rides. I don't think there is a perfect age, so I would just go with your daughter at 4.5 years old, especially if you are likely to be able to afford to do it again. Also noting that you are planning 3 years ahead here, a second baby would obviously change how this works out, but maybe you have definitely ruled that out already.

7 is perfect for lots of the shows/rides at Disney and about a third at universal. You have LEGOLAND too if that’s not currently nearby.

Thank you for this! And yes definitely rules out another baby! Currently in the process of donating our left over embryos as we speak/type

Took mine at 3&5 they do remember.

Personally I'd go before school starts to avoid the holidays

We did Paris when the DC were 5 and 3.8. They loved the parades and the small rides.
We did Florida when they were 8 and 6 and that was great as, whilst they were past the "magic", they got much more from the rides and enjoyed the other things that we did on the trip.

I would highly recommend California as an alternative for little ones, admittedly a long time ago but it was far more magical than Florida which we went to just 2 years later. CA is far smaller (and consequently cheaper) lots of independent motel style places to stay that are reasonable and tickets are from $108 per adult per day. You only need a day in each park or perhaps just the one for little ones. Spend the rest of your holiday doing an American road trip.

The bit (then 3) dd remembers is story time with Cinderella, literally Cinderella reading Snow White sitting under a tree with mats for the kids.

We haven't been for a while but I'd go the spring time before they start school. Cheaper prices and cooler weather. And you want them to be 102cm which is easy for a tall child.

They might not remember it but it doesn't mean they won't enjoy.
We did Disney World at 2.5, and again at 3.5, Disneyland Californa at 5.
We managed a couple of trips to Paris after that but haven't been back since 2020.

We are considering Disneyland CA, as we do try our hardest to avoid traveling to places with shitty laws for women, I am still hoping, praying that Florida will go back to more humane abortion laws in the next few years but if not it will probably be CA, we have friends out there too so could also tie in the trip seeing them

We took Dts at 5, they loved it but very rarely talk about it now at 13, I don't think they remember much of it at all.

I am starting to wonder whether kids just don’t remember shit very well, I was shocked to find out my mother worked part time when I was at primary school (she mentioned it last week) as I had no recollection of her being the one to pick us up every day, and that was until I was 11, so maybe I shouldn’t place too much emphasis on them remembering

We did Disney California last year, only 3 days. The rest was a road trip (San Francisco, highway one, Yosemite)
It was amazing, but the cost of things on that side of the US is eye-watering. I still prefer Florida for Disney, although the amount of Trump supporters wandering around in plain sight is terrifying 😳

Thinking back I have very specific brief memories before 8 and even now I can't tell you much about amazing experiences the last 10 years!